HealthFair visits Farley's and Sathers

• Time for an EKG

Farley’s and Sathers Candy Company Inc. Benefits Manager Bruce Lyon-Dugin, flanked by medical technician Kaitye O’Sullivan (left) and sonographer Samantha Simms, demonstrates the 12-lead Electrocardiogram, which provides a picture of the heart’s electrical activity. The 12-Lead EKG was one of several health screenings offered to the company’s employees this week.

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ROUND LAKE — Ninety employees of Farley’s and Sathers Candy Company Inc. spent extra time in the factory’s parking lot this week, hopping aboard the bus for better health.

HealthFair, which provides myriad wellness screenings aboard its large white and green bus, visited the Round Lake site Monday, Thursday and Friday.

“Everyone was very happy with it,” Benefits Manager Bruce Lyon-Dugin said. “This is the first time we’ve done this type of screening, and we’re happy to report no one had any emergencies.”

HealthFair staff keeps screening results confidential unless they find abnormalities that pose an immediate risk, explained Kaitye O’Sullivan, medical technician. Only the patient’s cholesterol is revealed immediately; the other results will be sent to each employee’s home.

“We had a few people who were surprised by their cholesterol,” said O’Sullivan, one of four medical personnel aboard the bus.

The screenings were provided to Farley’s and Sathers employees free of charge as part of the company’s push for wellness. Lyon-Dugin said employees have also participated in several wellness programs, including weight management education and stress management seminars.

Lyon-Dugin said Farley’s and Sathers will review results from each location, and will use that information to determine employees’ health and insurance needs on a site-by-site basis.

All participants were offered the Basic Biometric Screening: a cholesterol panel, blood pressure check, body mass index, height, weight and waist measurements and a glucose and Diabetes test.

Those with high body mass indexes or those over 50 received an advanced screening, which includes an echocardiogram, electrocardiogram, ultrasounds of the neck and abdominal arteries, a blood circulation test and osteoporosis screening. Avera-McKennan medical staff also attended to give flu shots to participants.

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